Meditation can take on many forms with many uses, which is what it should be, not a competition for the best method. The commonality between the large variety of these methods is that we are engaged within a 4th state of consciousness. It doesn’t have to be a ritual, rather, a natural habit of living, like eating and sleeping. You eat when you’re hungry, you sleep when you’re tired, and you meditate when you’re stressed, simple as that. I hope to contribute to a culture that holds meditation in a regard that has no stigma or special elevation in status because either would be in conflict with the reality that it’s a basic human function.
This 4th state of consciousness likely has many uses and many forms of it, but what is important is we include it in our regular lives. It is not more important, but as important as the other 3 (waking, sleeping, and dreaming). Without regularly visiting this state, our psyche becomes imbalanced and we experience the common symptoms of modern suffering. It is no coincidence that things like depression, and anxiety are so prevalent in modern, urban environments.
The lack of acceptance of the 4th state is easily observed in the difficulty many people have in simply finding a suitable setting to meditate or access altered states of consciousness. In some circles, the mere idea of a 4th state of consciousness is stigmatized and oppressed. Sometimes in subtle, seemingly harmless ways, but ultimately in opposition to making the 4th state as important as the other 3.
This challenge of learning to meditate is an unfortunate result of modern living that we must take navigate the best we can, but if one places the proper importance on it, one can find access to the 4th state.